I've got my list ready for my annual guessing game, however I only have a bottom NINE movies. I have never had so few bad movies before.

So, now is your chance to recommend a terrible 2012 movie for me to watch.

I'm excited you're doing that again! It's always fun.

And folks have already mentioned some bad ones. I saw very few really bad movies in 2012, though the aforementioned Chernobyl Diaries springs to mind, as does the offensively bland, boring, and lazy Lockout.

Yeah, Lookout wasn't great, and I could include that, but I do try to stick to movies that... fall below a certain threshold. If I don't muster up the courage to see one of the above movies, it would probably be my default number 10.

I even enjoyed some of the worst movies of the year - For example, I actually found Battleship pretty fun. And at least one movie that is on my best of list would be on a lot of people's worst...

I LOVED 21 Jump Street. It was able to make fun of itself, be funny, have a good story. The perfect remake. On that note, Magic Mike was not that bad. I mean, I was expecting to see nothing but stripper dance scenes, but there was more plot than stripping and the plot was not that bad. I have a lot of respect for Channing Tatum, and I very much enjoyed seeing his naked ass.

In terms of Oscar contenders, I have scene Argo and Les Miserables and both of them were AMAZING. Watch the South Park episode where Butters gets so angry because Ben Affleck is actually an amazing talent, it says it all. Who would have thought Ben Affleck would grow up to do such amazing movies?

As for Les Mis, I would never have thought one could convey such emotion through singing, but Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway OWN it! I have the soundtrack (just highlights, not the complete thing *grumble grumble*) and you can hear it in every note. Wonderful.

Gunflyer

I loved The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises. They were two VERY different movies with very iconic superheroes. The Dark Knight Rises though should have been nominated and won for best film. The underlying themes all have very well-thought out subtexts and the symbolism of Bruce Wayne having to himself climb out of that hole he fell down all those years ago is so clear and fascinating that you can't help but let it mesmerize you. Bane was perfect. He was the best villain for the final Batman film. The Avengers was obviously a lot more upbeat and did the near impossible job of giving everyone a clear, dramatic purpose to fulfill in a movie where six or more main characters are all fighting for screen time. It perfectly got these heroes to work with each other yet not without some trepidation. But the performances were excellent, the chemistry between them was great and the humor complimented the film beautifully. I thought that along with The Dark Knight Rises, no other example more perfectly illustrates the analogy of apples and oranges, for those films are exactly like that. There's no comparing the two because while they are both superhero films, they had very different agendas and set out to do different things that had their own equal merits.

I really liked Dredd, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and Prometheus. Dredd was dark, gritty, intense and exciting. It was what fans of the comic book always wanted in movie form. The Hobbit I actually liked a bit more. I thought it was a bit slower paced and it definitely did not have the epic scale of LOTR, but it was still a very engaging and joyous romp through some of the darker, never seen places in middle Earth. Prometheus... could have been better had they put a few scenes back in. Nevertheless, I still liked it for its powerful themes and an atmosphere that reminded me of 2001 in some respects.

My favorite movie of the past few years is Beasts of the Southern Wild. It's something that's really worth seeing on as big a screen as possible, as the environment sucks you in. And following that girl around -- she was amazing. Great story, great everything. Very moving.

Another really cool flick that I think this forum would like is Sound of My Voice. It's about these two documentary filmmakers that are trying to expose a cult. However, the more time that these people spend inside the cult, the more wrapped up in it they become... it's a very cool flick, it's by the same team of peeps behind Another World (Brit Marling is awesome)... not violent, just a really cool, inventive thriller.

Cabin in the Woods and Life of Pi were also awesome

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MightyJack

I usually wait a year before I do a top 20 Blog post on this subject. Allows me time to see the foreign and independent films. I haven't caught many of the biggies. In my Library que I have the Master, Zero Dark Thirty, Argo, Lincoln, Life of Pi... to name a few. So this list isn't anywhere near comprehensive and will likely change before the end of the year. But here's my formative work on what I have so far.

Zoe Kazan (The Exploding Girl) wrote and co-stars with Paul Dano in a story about a brilliant writer named Calvin who has been unable to follow up on his highly acclaimed first novel. In the midst of this creative block, he finds inspiration in a dream about a young woman. Soon after, the girl on the page springs to life in the real world. Everything is peaches and cream, until the flesh and blood Ruby starts to think for herself. Which causes Calvin to type up a series of rewrites.

This is a small but thoughtful film that addresses male dominance in relationships and the pitfalls of romanticizing femininity - loving the idea and the ideal, rather than respecting the individual, warts and all. The performances from Dano and Kazan are honest, and the script wise and poignant.

“Anderson’s refusal to hold moviegoers’ hands, to tell them where to look or what to feel, is part of what makes his movies so invigorating. You take away from Moonrise Kingdom whatever you want to, but no two people will respond to the film the same way. The open nature of his work, combined with the specificity of his craft — every frame is precisely composed and gorgeous — is part of what makes his pictures so divisive.” – Rene Rodriguez.

Kingdom features all of the familiar Anderson ticks, from the detailed, dollhouse sets to the carefully choreographed movements for both camera and the actors. At times the movie overloads on the whimsical -- but at its heart, is its heart. Which sweetly chronicles the love story of Sam and Suzy, two free spirited 12 year olds who run away together into the wilderness in 1965. This sets off a frantic search for the duo, during which a violent storm approaches. Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward make their film debuts and they carry the film ably, the trajectory of their relationship is funny, warm hearted and filled with the unbridled joy of discovery. There is a thread of sadness and a sense that the adults are a bit unsatisfied and reeling from the collective hurts they’ve endured throughout their lives. But from the turmoil of several storms (of the heart as well as the weather) these characters emerge a little wiser, a little more at peace. Amazing cast – the script is quick and delightful. It’s Anderson’s best since Tenenbaums.

This is a fascinating documentary about 70s musician Rodriguez, who recoded two low selling albums and then disappeared into legend. The picture chronicles the search for the truth behind the myths and reveals an unpretentious artist whose talent as a songwriter is comparable to the great Bob Dylan. My familiarity with Rodriguez went as far as hearing the brilliant “Sugarman” on FM radio, and that was it. So I’m happy that this film was made and opened my ears up to this wonderful performer. It’s a moving story, bittersweet (and –briefly- makes a sad comment about the industry… and kids, this is the reason you need to PAY for your freaking music!) Do yourself a favor and discover the man and music for yourself.

The Marvel series wraps up with one of the best superhero movies every made. Director Joss Whedon captures everything there is to love in a comic. You get the hero on hero action, hero on villain fights and great characterization for each and every player on the board. Each individual has their own distinct personality, which plays off expertly with the other characters, the stories dramatic points, as well as being perfectly tailored to the action each is engaged in. These weren't simply cookie cutter figures in colorful costumes.

There has never been a better Hulk, what he does to Loki had the entire theater laughing a cheering (the whole film is funny as all get out). And as an Iron Man fan, I couldn’t be happier with the way Stark and Pepper were utilized.

I can forgive the noticeable continuity gaffes because everything else works like a dream. It is as thematically strong as the previous two, features breakneck pacing, strong performances and is emotionally powerful. The series comes full circle and provides a fitting conclusion as an older, beat-up Bruce Wayne is confronted by his past and is forced to make his return in order to save Gotham City from complete annihilation. Smart additions to the cast include Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anne Hathaway (who does justice to my beloved Catwoman). This is masterful filmmaking: From Christopher Nolan to his cinematographer, SFX team, musical composer and more.

In the year 2044, when the mob wants a hit they use hired killers (loopers) and time travel to do the job. When one of these hit men (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) recognizes his current victim as his future self (Bruce Willis), he hesitates and allows the man to escape. Which results in a quandary about the value of a persons life and whether the future can be changed. This was another clever flick from director Rian Johnson (Brick) - while it was dark and most of the characters were a nasty piece of work -- there was a redemptive act and a mother's love to right the course. Yes it was sad, but I didn't leave the theater depressed and was ultimately entertained. The film borrows a little from Terminator, a little from the Twilight Zone and tosses in some Martin Scorsese tonality. Acting from Gordon-Levitt, Willis and Emily Blunt was a plus.

Investigative documentary about rape in the military (of both men and women) and how little to nothing is done to the predators (who are just as often rewarded with promotions). This was a difficult watch, left me weeping on several occasions, and outraged throughout. It's shameful that any institution, Military, Church or whatnot, would attempt to cover up or make excuses for acts this heinous. The sad thing is even after all the scandal, even after the release of this movie, very little has changed. The cycle continues.

This was an exciting, bloody take on the true tale of the Bondurant brothers -- three local legends and bootleggers who fought the law… and won. It’s got an all-star cast, which includes Tom Hardy, Guy Pearce, Mia Wasikowski, Jessica Chastain and Shia Labeouf, who redeems himself after his embarrassing turn in the Transformer films, he’s actually darn good. In addition to the top-notch acting, the film boasts a great score and screenplay by Nick Cave.

Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence play two people who suffered loses in marriage, which left them psychologically damaged. Cooper’s character is in denial about the state of his marriage, while Lawrence’s is drowning her grief in cheap flings. They are hurt and angry, they say inappropriate things and lash out. And it’s their abrasive, oddball behavior that makes the first part of the movie a charm. In those moments, where the two clash as they get to know one another, Playbook was gold. Unfortunately it stumbles in its final act. I thought the whole ‘football game-dancing contest-bet thing’ was contrived and cheesy beyond the pale. And the story falls into familiar rom-com trappings – offering up a conventional finish to a relationship arc that had been delightfully unconventional. While the acting does go broad here and there, overall the cast is great and two 3rds of the screenplay was funny and special

A future government forces young citizens from outlaying districts to fight in a game to the death. Among the combatants are our protagonists Katniss and Peeta. This film surprised me; I thought it was going to be some silly young adult literature adaptation, along the lines of Twilight. What it offered was deeper, more sober. With its call to libertarianism and its sociopolitical subtext, Games was compelling drama. It’s not wholly original and some scenes are awkward (that ‘smell me’ interview scene with Peeta was shooting for charming and funny, but it just made me wince). But most of it clicked. While I think the book was better, I believe the movie excels in certain areas. It offers behind the scene peaks into the Gamemakers and more with President Snow. I thought the bits with Rue were stronger and more emotionally resonant in the movie (aided by the acting from the perfectly cast Jennifer Lawrence). Also the book bogs down once Katniss and Peeta pair up during the end game. Though I get more details on Katniss thought process, I felt it dragged on too long and that the filmmakers made the right choice in tightening up that sequence.

Low budget tale focuses on a young girl named Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) who lives with her father (Dwight Henry) in a vanishing wilderness that is being pushed out by modern civilization. The film mixes fable and brutal reality, and I admit to being of two minds on the production. If it means to romanticize the squalor the girl lives in as something better, more pure and righteous than what is had by city dwellers, then it fails -- but if I approach it as a look at these people’s lives, their belief system and way of life – one that doesn’t say ‘it’s the right way, but it is their way.” (And that all of this is being relayed through the mind of a child), then it can be enjoyed for its depiction of a world far removed from my own. I was also impressed by the performances (from non professional actors), as well as the colorful phrasing of the dialog and assured direction from first timer Benh Zeitlin.

Stephen Soderbergh directs this action thriller about a black ops soldier who seeks revenge after she is betrayed and set up during a mission. It has its rough spots: You get the action stuff early, then an info dump at the end – so the pacing is wonky. It’s also a bit dry and strangely not very involving. But it is well made; direction and camera work is sharp. And the fight scenes have a real-life weigh and painfulness in every punch thrown and received. Mixed martial artist Gina Carino is fantastic in those hand-to-hand battles, but lacks much charisma in other scenes.

As with "Away From Her", Director Sarah Polley explores the complex nature of relationships. Michelle Williams stars as a wife who finds herself in a nice, comfortable marriage that has gotten too safe and stale. She then meets a guy who lights up her life.

The script asks us to ponder the nature of marriage. How we lose part of ourselves, how gaps open up in our lives... and since life is so short, should we stick with the safe or go for what brings some renewed spark. Open-ended finish is appropriate. I wonder if the story would have gone down a different path had the couple had children? The two are very child-like anyway, immature. She does this baby-talk thing... as if she (and he) is incapable of interacting on an adult level.

Williams is great as usual, Seth Rogan plays her husband. I have no idea why he was cast. He's okay in the lighter moments, but doesn't have the chops to carry the heavier, deeper material. Good movie, though it falls short of being a great one